The Victorian Government requested that Infrastructure Victoria consult with industry and stakeholders, and conduct research and analysis into what infrastructure the state needs to enable automated (self-driving) vehicles and zero emission vehicles.

AGL believes that innovative technologies will play a crucial role in improving the efficient use of infrastructure, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and delivering value for Australian homes and businesses. We also recognise the important relationship between vehicle electrification, automation and widespread shared mobility. Measures which support these three developments will have a synergistic effect in terms of their anticipated benefits.

AGL is invested in the development of the Australian EV market through our Electric Car Plan, which allows customers to charge their electric car, whenever they like and as often as they like for $1 per day. AGL is a member of the Electric Vehicle Council, that was launched in May 2017, and has committed to transitioning 10 per cent of our business vehicle fleet to EVs by mid-2018. We also continue to work with the Australian Driverless Vehicle Initiative and a variety of stakeholders to advance connected electric autonomous vehicle adoption.

As we elaborated in our recent submission to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Electric Vehicles, AGL considers that public policy settings at both the State and Federal levels can also play a crucial role in accelerating the uptake of EVs in Australia. AGL urges the Victorian Government to consider implementing the following policy measures in particular:

A State EV target;

A Government fleet EV target;

Stamp duty and registration concessions;

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane access; and

Charging infrastructure planning and support.

We have given careful consideration to Infrastructure Victoria's target outcomes and areas of focus for investigation which we elaborate further in our submission, available here.

We consider that charging management and automation will be critical in addressing the risks and realising the benefits of EV uptake. AGL is actively working on business models, products and partnerships to realise these benefits. Planning and support for charging infrastructure will help to ensure an economically efficient approach to EV uptake. Accordingly, we would recommend that the Victorian Government consider designing an EV charging roadmap based on expected uptake scenarios with allocated tasks and responsibilities in partnership with the private sector.

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A new report has been released today titled 'The path forward for electric vehicles in Australia' by ClimateWorks and a broad coalition of representatives from Australia’s emerging Electric Vehicle market, including AGL, in response to the Commonwealth's Vehicle Emissions Discussion Paper.